A Christmas cracker is the paper-wrapped novelty traditionally pulled apart at British Christmas celebrations.
Christmas crackers became associated with Christmas in the United Kingdom after London confectioner Tom Smith developed them in the nineteenth century. Their distinctive bang comes from a small friction strip inside the wrapper. When two people pull the cracker, it splits and the strip ignites, producing the sound.
A typical cracker contains a brightly colored paper crown, a printed joke or riddle, and a small novelty gift. The contents are usually inexpensive and humorous rather than valuable. Crackers are commonly placed beside dinner plates and opened before or during Christmas dinner.
The paper crown is often mistaken for a uniquely British national symbol, but it is specifically part of the cracker’s celebratory design. Crackers are also sold in other English-speaking countries, although British Christmas dinner is their best-known setting.